Be positive... Everywhere!

 

 

Be positive, everywhere

A steak gave me a message. Someone in a restaurant kitchen used ketchup writing skills to spell out “Wonderful” on the rim of a plate. Just what I needed to hear!

We should be giving ourselves daily pep talks, especially if no one else is doing it. It’s like a note from Mom in your lunch or a lipstick kiss on the bathroom mirror. Say something positive to someone else AND yourself. Read on for inspiring ideas:

ROAR! - I’ll wager Shawna Suckow never thought her book would be featured in a foodie column. That’s my outside-the-to-go-box thinking so readers can enjoy her thoughts. She was the bee’s knees when I heard her speak in person. She’s about showing personality and stories to make your business stand out. Her book is “The Roaring Twenties: Marketing & Selling Better in the Post-Pandemic Decade. The 1920s you say? Peppered with the era’s wording, this easy read notes how Americans adapted and changed then and how it's time to roar again. Here’s a few tips and anecdotes from the book to jump start your roar:

·        Merchants united to form a doughnut trail to promote their city’s delicious offerings.

·        A city’s chamber encouraged members to take selfies of themselves enjoying services from other businesses. Think a florist enjoying breakfast at a local café or a banker praising good service at an auto shop.

·        Consider if you can flip a professional e-mail signoff with employees going from staged head shots to themselves enjoying favorite hobby. Idea: What imaginary Olympic event would you receive a gold medal in? That’s how Tracy appointed herself a gold medalist in guacamole making who excels at impatience and chasing shiny objects.

I’m thinking of upgrading my own personal sign-off. Currently I identify as a Beatles fan, foodie, herbalist and flamingo collector.

See how she does it at www.shawnasuckow.com and give your old ways the icy mitt!

 

“The Glow Up Journal” – Record the healthy foods you could try, consider superstar supplements, get moving and find your most attractive feature and make it your baddest self. A fun little pink book offers “Everything You Need to Set Goals, Create Inspo – and Make It Happen!”  If given a blank journal, some folks may stare blankly back. Danielle Richardson offers prompts in this encouraging book to help you see that you’re already worth the effort. Keep going. No surprise, recording what you are grateful for is important. Everybody needs more of this attitude.

“Success On Your Own Terms” – James B. Rosseau Sr. shares his early (challenging) life in detail in this book promising to fire up passions to ignite your career and create an amazing life. Lots of good lists fill this book. Here’s just some of one, with an inspiring title:

Develop and Invest in Me, Inc. tools:

·        Choose flexibility in your life by proactively choosing to save instead of spend.

·        Build a discipline around saving.

·        Protect your legacy, what you want to be known for, and what you stand for.

·        Figure where your passion, skills and gifts intersect. This is your point of highest leverage.

·        Cultivate genuineness, caring and sharing.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who picks up pennies no matter what side is up. It’s all sunny side up for her. darraghcastillo@icloud.com

The "power" to make great sandwiches/burgers

 

The “power” to make great sandwiches/burgers

 

Hot dogs and an Astros game was the invitation this weekend. I had an idea the hostess would make them a little gourmet. The upgrade was a pretzel bun. And the Astros won. I left the gathering during the windy, rainy episode that kept my power off until bedtime Sunday. No Tony Awards for me.

We’d been to Saturday Mass and ended up attending on Sunday as well, to hear a friend’s music and stay cool. That’s how we got invited to charge our phones and have a bite. He toasted Ezekiel bread and served an almond butter sandwich with a twist: thinly-sliced red onion and a sprinkle of salt and garlic. Clever and delicious. It was actually a treat to have toast since I had no “power” to cook at home.

And how here’s what’s up from Safe Catch, the brand of canned fish that is certified sustainable seafood planned to be good for you and the ocean. Go to www.safecatch.com to be impressed by their methods and selection and for recipes such as mackerel jalapeno poppers. Talk about a twist on foodie flavors. So there are lots of burger recipes that put you in the summer mind. They also remind me of the croquettes my grandmother would get at Luby’s. The addition of quick oats is what drew me to the one below, which I made with great success. Try it for yourself.

 

Salmon Burgers Made Easy

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cans of Safe Catch Salmon
• 1 Egg
• ½ Heaping Cup of Quick Oats
• ½ tsp dried ginger
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
• Choice of favorite sauces and toppings

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat egg in mixing bowl, add dry spices and Soy Sauce, mix until incorporated
2. Flake two cans of salmon in the can (do not drain), then pour each into mixing bowl
3. Put Quick Oats in a blender and pulse until a medium-coarse flour is achieved, then add to mixing bowl
4. Fold ingredients with a spatula until evenly mixed together (set aside for 5 mins)
5. Preheat grill on high, then fold a single sheet of aluminum foil in half to create a double layer, to cover the grill grate
6. Coat foil generously with cooking spray
7. Use a 1/3 cup to scoop salmon burger mix and either form by hand or place inside an egg ring to create the classic burger shape
8. Cook each side 3-4 minutes on grill, or until golden brown
9.  

SERVING SUGGESTION

Salmon is an amazing source of lean protein and Omega-3’s, but it may be a new flavor for kids or adults. So, feel free to sauce with your favorites: barbecue, sweet chili, or an herb ranch. Also, add your favorite burger toppings too: lettuce, tomato, pickles or whatever your family favorites may be. This recipe makes 4 Salmon Burgers.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie catching some great eats. Share your finds at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

How I Saved the Sauce: A Continuing Saga

 

                

                  Sauce doctoring comes natural to me. It’s just my nature to add a little something to anything. When my daughter passed a remoulade rescue bottle to me, I clocked in. This famous-maker brand was kind of bland. But my husband liked it okay. He got a serving, but there was still plenty left. Next round I added siracha which gave it a lovely “rouge” hue and a distinctive spice for dipping vegetables. There was still plenty more in that little bottle. If I have to eat shrimp while enduring all this doctoring, so be it. This next round will include a blend of excess ketchup packets, several drops of hot sauce and a sprinkle of spices. I’ll have to get more shrimp for this bottle runs out! 

                   Souper Cubes  – Ever hear of Souper Cubes? They’re like deep, luxurious silicone ice trays, but you fill them with food to freeze controlled portions. They are an OCD dream that can save you money and calories. Imagine neat blocks of little servings or complete meals stacked up in your freezer and ready to go after a long day at work. The couple started this idea from chicken stock, did the “Shark Tank” thing and should be as successful as all get out with this idea. When I saw it in action, my thoughts went straight to gumbo. You make a big old pot of Cajun delight and eat it for days but you freeze the rest in big containers. What happens when you crave a single bowl? Well I don’t know if I’ve ever had just one bowl of gumbo, but you get the idea. Just get one of a block out. Food comes out easily and you can cook in big batches without concern you’ll get burned out “finishing” your casserole, etc. Fill a block and freeze it. Go to www.soupercubes.com for more on just how well-made this product line is. Here’s what tickles me. I assume popularity is regional. Maybe they freeze clam chowder up north and chili elsewhere. In Port Arthur, I think freezers will be full of gumbo blocks.

Trust the Truss – I guess I wasn’t going Culinary Thrill Seeking in the world of raw chicken, because I never really gave a thought to the term “truss,” which kind of makes people giggle. Enter Turbo Trusser, as seen on “Shark Tank” and I am some kind of expert on juicy chicken. In moments I tucked chicken legs into the front end and looped wings into the back wires and that chicken was trussed. Why? To hold in the juices. I ate that chicken for days and the juices came in handy for other things. I’m an expert now. Do you think you need this metal chicken-adorned plate that goes in the dishwasher and evenly cools your bird? Chicken or turkey model? Then hit www.turbotrusser.com and get trussed.

 

                 Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who loves gumbo weather, which is any weather. Share ideas with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Compost in style; go bamboo start-to-finish

 

 

  

People say I have a green thumb, but I always credit the compost. “Just stick it in the dirt” is how I garden. When my sister would come to visit she’d ask repeatedly where I keep kitchen scraps. “Oh that’s right, you don’t compost,” she’d say repeatedly. Challenge on. I’d made a bin from an old coffee canister and tried some other methods. Now I’ve got a stylish upgrade of a bamboo fiber container that looks pretty sleek on the counter. The coolest part is the charcoal filter in the lid that proclaims to be a “magic stank eraser.” The bin and I have been getting along quite nicely and that’s how my garden grows. www.bamboozlehome.com

 

Going Tampa Style – As much as the Cajuns of Port Arthur are into flavorful sauces with seafood, sausage and corn, I confess I was not familiar with the crab chilau thing going on in Tampa. Michael Anderson’s founder’s story is the best. Since I can’t go to to his grandma’s house for a family dinner, I’m glad I can get jars of flavor that taste like you’ve been cooking all day. The rest of the story is simple. Cook up chicken, seafood and more in flavors such as: Crab and Boil, Creole Trinity and Crab and Shrimp Boil. Stew Base in Low Country Citrus flavor boosted a rice and chopped steak meal. Later, a chicken thanked me with for the sauce. www.chilaufoods.com

 

 

The Second Bite Got Her – Founder Carolyn had a crumbly cookie experience after her Celiac diagnosis. She decided life is complicated, so cookies should not be. Mightylicious cookies in Brown Butter, Oatmeal Coconut, etc. My friend needs gluten-free products in her life and I had her taste these. The second bite sold her. We passed these around to some patio guests and they were all mighty pleased at these flavors. Good for your vegan and kosher pals, too. Slogan: “We bake from scratch so you don’t have to.” www.mightylicious.com

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie considering food prep from shopping to compost. Share your ideas with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Chillin' with berries

 

Gelatin Art – Who still makes chilled gelatin desserts? I got inspired and had the fruit and the patience to chill, layer and chill again and have a little fun. I made a batch in a tall, clear drinking glass and used a teaspoon to savor a cool, low-calorie treat as the sun set.

 

 

Word of the Day - I misunderstood, but was still considering the word of day could be a thing. I thought lilapsophobia was an irrational or disproportionate fear of TOMATOES and HURRICANES. 

Turns out the first word should be TORNADOES. 

I get you. After Rita, etc., we don’t consider our attitudes toward hurricanes irrational at all.

But hurricanes and a great pico de gallo with tomatoes off the vine are truly something to consider with great respect of their power.

 

Aloe Amazing -  Down south folks grow plenty of aloe vera that’s handy for kitchen burns. Need it on the go? Makers say Eclat Aloe Vera Gel, made with the purest levels of aloe, is in a tube ready to supercharge, hydrate, and nourish dry skin. Here is something that sets it apart: Eclat is formulated at the highest possible concentration – 99.75% pure aloe leaf juice, and no diluting water – for prolonged potency.  Years ago aloe soothed my worst sunburn ever from a Corpus Christi visit that turned me as tomato colored as my new purse. This new non-sticky formula is a summer must-have.

Grace –  If you say grace before meals, you’ll likely enjoy “What Did Jesus Say: The Seven Messages from the Master.” Terry Allan Christian retired as a public speaker  and says the Holy Spirit guided him on this book. It’s just what Jesus said, with no comment on the times then or now. It’s that red letter New King James Bible reading but, just Jesu. Can you deal? It’s light weight as a book so you can carry it around and reflect. More info is at: https://whatdidjesussay.world/. 

I’ll be happy to end by quoting Jesus here:

“Peace be with you.”

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie always down for a good read. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com. 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who’s ready to hear the latest finds from readers. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

Cauliflower vs. Broccoli – I asked for, and received, permission to use the f-word in this space. Here we go. I saw a Pinterest comment that cauliflower didn’t ask to taste like fart rice.

I like the stuff, but still, that was funny. I shared it with some folks who considered the sentiment to be dead-on. Then I brough broccoli into the mix, because people hate that, too. I learned some call cauliflower “ghost broccoli.” Also funny.

Both are great to me for dips, casseroles with cheese and salads. Raw or cooked, I love it and figure science could reveal why some are not on board. Short answer is that those who can “sense bitterness” are likely responding to compounds called glucosinolates found in most cruciferous veggies. Brussels sprouts is also on the list, but I’ve matured to like these, roasted in oil and herbs. Non-haters, share your recipes with #culinarythrillseeking followers.

 

 

Better get two – One jar of Dignity raw coconut oil will star in your kitchen to “butter” toast; pep up grilled cheese sandwiches and roasted sweet potato fries. Keep another in the bathroom for health and beauty. A brush, lip balm and jar of oil arrive in a bag bundled as Clean Beauty Kit: Natural Fiber Body Brush & Body Oil.  At www.dignitycoconuts.com learn benefits of dry brushing your skin, a practice I already love. This small brush with an elegant wooden handle is “just right” as Goldilocks would say. Chemical-free vegan lip balms come in Lavender Peppermint, Vanilla & Unscented and will become the smooth something your lips will crave as a mid-day pick up. Dignity is mainly about the oil, using no-heat centrifuge to preserve micronutrients and uplifting the lives of workers in the Philippines. They sign the jars they pack. This brand makes you feel good inside and out.

 

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who loves hearing from readers. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Looks vs. Taste

 

Looks aren’t everything. Taste is right up there.

I played and created an egg-stuffed avocado in the air fryer that looked pretty darned good, but the flavor and texture needed a little something. It was an air fryer trick that I’m sharing to show you should always be willing to try new things and… hot sauce doesn’t necessarily fix EVERYTHING, as I previously assumed. My take-away was that I often end up with dishes that taste way better than they look. I actually prefer that to making a pretty plate that doesn’t taste like much. Readers, do you have similar examples?

 

How’s your morning? Got sugar support? Pre and Pro biotics? Kale and spinach that doesn’t scare you? I do and it’s making Activated You Morning Complete do what their site says it should. I feel good about it.

It all started with a white Yeti cup that was gifted to someone until I just casually mentioned I’d always wanted one and then it was gifted to me. All I’d said was that I imagined whatever you drank in such a pure, cool cup would most likely be good for you. Enter Morning Complete samples with green superfoods in Citrus Melody. It’s billed as 8 unique wellness-support blends in one drink. And it’s a cool sip in my new white cup that was gifted, nearly immediately lost, then found again. See? The cup-to-healthy drink pairing is right for me. It even has “adaptogen” to alleviate stress. Gut health, smoother digestion and a metabolic blend for relief from gas, bloating, etc. are cool. And I love that aloe vera is part of the gang in this drink. www.activatedyou.com

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who would love to hear what you’ve been eating. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com